Editing Autonomous communities of Spain (section)

{{Short description|First-level administrative divisions of Spain}}
{{Redirect|Regions of Spain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024 }}

{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Autonomous communities<br />
<div style="font-size:85%;font-weight:normal;">
{{langx|es|comunidad autónoma}}{{efn|{{IPA|es|komuniˈðað awˈtonoma|small=no}}}}<br />
{{langx|an|comunidat autonoma}}<br />
{{langx|ast|comunidá autónoma}}<br />
{{langx|eu|autonomia erkidegoa}}{{efn|{{IPA|eu|autonomi.a erkiðeɣo|small=no}}}}<br />
{{langx|ca|comunitat autònoma}}{{efn|{{IPA|ca|kumuniˈtat əwˈtɔnumə|small=no}}, {{IPA|ca-valencia|komuniˈtat awˈtɔnoma|small=no}}}}<br />
{{langx|gl|comunidade autónoma}}{{efn|{{IPA|gl|komuniˈðaðɪ awˈtɔnʊmɐ|small=no}}}}<br />
{{langx|oc|comunautat autonòma}}
</div>
| alt_name = 
| map = {{Autonomous regions of Spain}}
| category = [[Autonomous administrative division]]
| territory = [[Spain|Kingdom of Spain]]
| upper_unit = 
| start_date = 1979–1983
| legislation_begin = [[Constitution of Spain|Spanish Constitution of 1978]]
| legislation_end = 
| end_date = 
| current_number = [[#List of autonomous communities|17 autonomous communities]]<br />[[#Autonomous cities|2 autonomous cities]]
| number_date = 
| type = 
| status = 
| exofficio = 
| population_range = Autonomous communities:<br />324,184 ([[La Rioja]]) – 8,631,862 ([[Andalusia]])<br />Autonomous cities:<br />83,179 ([[Ceuta]]) – 85,985 ([[Melilla]])
| area_range = Autonomous communities:<br />4,992 km<sup>2</sup> ([[Balearic Islands]]) – 94,223 km<sup>2</sup> ([[Castile and León]])<br />Autonomous cities:<br />12.3 km<sup>2</sup> ([[Melilla]]) – 18.5 km<sup>2</sup> ([[Ceuta]])
| government = [[Autonomous Communities Administration|Autonomous governments]]
| government2 = [[Government of Spain|National government]]
| subdivision = [[Provinces of Spain|Provinces]]
| subdivision1 = [[Comarcas of Spain|Comarcas]]
| subdivision2 = [[Municipalities of Spain|Municipalities]]
}}

The '''autonomous communities''' ({{langx|es|comunidad autónoma}}) are the first-level [[political divisions of Spain|administrative divisions]] of [[Spain]], created in accordance with the [[Constitution of Spain|Spanish Constitution of 1978]], with the aim of guaranteeing limited autonomy to the [[nationalities and regions of Spain|nationalities and regions]] that make up Spain.{{sfn|Spanish Constitution|1978|loc=Articles 2, 143}}

There are 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities ([[Ceuta]] and [[Melilla]]) that are collectively known as "'''autonomies'''".{{efn-lr|"Autonomies" (in Spanish: ''autonomías'', in Basque: ''autonomien'', in Catalan/Valencian: ''autonomies'', in Galician: ''autonomías'').}} The two autonomous cities have the right to become autonomous communities.

The autonomous communities exercise their right to self-government within the limits set forth in the constitution and [[Organic Law (Spain)|organic laws]] known as [[Statute of Autonomy|Statutes of Autonomy]],{{efn-lr|"Statutes of Autonomy" (in Spanish: ''Estatutos de Autonomía'', in Basque: ''Autonomia Estatutuen'', in Catalan/Valencian: ''Estatuts d'Autonomia'', in Galician: ''Estatutos de Autonomía'').}} which broadly define the powers that they assume.

Each statute sets out the devolved powers ({{langx|es|competencia}}) for each community; typically those communities with stronger local nationalism have more powers, and this type of devolution has been called ''asymmetrical'' which is on the whole seen as advantageous, able to respond to diversity.<ref name=tanja>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j1YzvIIiOAYC|title=States and Regions in the European Union|last=Börzel|first=Tanja A|publisher=University Press, Cambridge|pages=93–151|year=2002|access-date=20 October 2012|isbn=978-0521008600}}</ref>

Despite the Constitution not setting a mandatory [[legislative chamber]] framework, all autonomous communities have chosen [[unicameralism]]. All such governments have legislative and executive branches of government but not judicial.